This tired apartment was purchased by a traditional Japanese family with the intent of turning it into the ultimate minimalist retreat. Inspired by their home land, they envisioned a home with clean lines, a natural colour palette and a calming aura. Opening up the wall between the galley kitchen and the living room to create a larger space was imperative. Structural considerations were budgeted for to remove the wall in this low rise wood frame building. Allocating part of the budget to complete this look proved well worth the investment as the finished space gives the kitchen an open and airy feeling that was desired. The kitchen was expanded along the prior living room wall. Simplistic colours of whites, creams and wood tones were used to achieve the desired look. Flair was added with sculptural light fixtures and geometric accents. The island was lit with a side mounted fixture, and the waterfall island that was purposely cut on an angle to add an interesting depth to the otherwise clean lines. Vinyl flooring in a wood tone was used to achieve a classic wood floor look while maintaining durability. European appliances were chosen to keep the modern, clean lines in place. A microwave was placed in the lower island in order to ensure that it was relatively hidden. The kitchen backsplash was mixed to provide further depth and dimension. A 4 inch splash matching the countertops was run on the sink wall to keep with the minimalist feel, while a bolder patterned large format tile in all white was used to create texture on the stove wall and provide adequate coverage while cooking on the range. Thin profile edge pull handles were strategically placed to be functional but unimposing.